In 1994, using ancient tools and materials, Bob Brier and Ronald Wade became the first people in 2000 years to mummify a human cadaver in the ancient Egyptian style. The goal of the project was to learn more about the tools and surgical procedures used by ancient embalmers to prepare the bodies of the pharaohs.

Brier and Wade went to Egypt to obtain natron, the dehydrating agent used by the ancient embalmers and also obtained frankincense and myrrh, just as the Egyptians did. Working at the University of Maryland Medical School, the two researchers used replicas of ancient tools to remove the brain through the nose and internal organs through a three-inch abdominal incision. The program was the subject of the National Geographic television documentary, Mr. Mummy.

Featured Lecturer

Steven Ellis is with the Department of Classics at the University of Cincinnati, and holds his Ph.D. from the University of Sydney. His areas of specialization include Roman urbanism and social...